


Parrallel Reflections

by LupinWulf



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: (Author has little Idea of what she is doing), Also there will be Ships, And delete some as well, But patience is a virtue, Don't tell Prussia that, Drinking, Everyone forgets him, Except Prussia, How does one even Tag?, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Poor England (Hetalia), Shit goes down, They will sail, but shh, hangovers, will add more tags as this goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-04 04:16:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6641098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LupinWulf/pseuds/LupinWulf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It wasn't meant to be this way, things weren't supposed to end like this."</p><p>Arthur Kirkland was a clever man, he had seen many things in his long lifetime, and expected many more things to come. But something like this? This was something new. And for as strong as he was, as much as he stood for he really wasn't sure he could take this. (Description currently off the top of my head and subject to change)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parrallel Reflections

**Author's Note:**

> Soo... This, this thing right here.  
> This is a single fiction in a long list of fandoms that I have been sitting on a back shelf for quite awhile now, and finally someone (you know who you are) poked me enough to drag them forth into the light.  
> For what it's worth though, all the edits this has gone through and time I've spent poking at it really helped, and what I've ended up with is actually something I'm pretty proud of. I had fun writing this and I hope you all like it as much as I do.

Arthur Kirkland, representation of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, wasn’t sure when everything had gone so horribly wrong. Nor how it was that everything he’d ever known would be put to question in a way he could never have imagined. But as he found himself leaning almost desperately against the large standing mirror, broken and bloody and staring at a nearly identical face, his fear and guilt reflecting back within the other’s soft blue eyes, he knew that somehow they had seriously screwed up. In the distance, he could hear his nation's once ancient air raid sirens blaring anew, and the reverberations sent shudders through his already pain racked body.

His ‘reflection’ wordlessly cried out and started pounding on the other side of the glass, panic twisting their usually cheerful mask into the broken and scared face of a child. The words that they had at first rushed to write in sloppy backwards cursive having all but been abandoned in their state. Arthur couldn’t help a soft chuckle at the inanity of this situation, although he would have probably come off insane sounding had anyone else been around to hear him. To think though, that the other’s writing was finally looking sloppy, that he _ finally  _ had something other than that stupid carefree false grin  _ plastered _ on his face. But of course it would have taken something like this to do it.

_ The irony didn’t escape him. _

_ ‘…Not really much of a victory there …’ _

Still his curiosity got the better of him, and he glanced up. His vision blurring slightly around the edges, he tried to make out the words his double had drawn up in panic, when he’d first seen him stumble up to the mirror looking the way he did. He hadn’t yet answered him, wasn’t even sure where his own damn marker had gone, not that it would have mattered if it were here. After all, he couldn’t really use his hands anymore at this point, even if he’d wanted to. His vision did manage to clear momentarily though, and he was just able to make out the beginning of what was written. A hastily scrawled  _ “Are you alright?!” _

_ ‘Am I alright _ ?’

He had to force the bile back down his throat at the sudden barrage of thoughts and images that threatened to overtake him, and quickly he searched for something,  _ anything  _ else to concentrate upon before his panic engulfed him. Managing a glance back at his other self, he noted wearily the sheer look of despair that had overtaken their features as well. Eyes wide and pupils dilated with shock, trials of salty tears welling up and streaming down freckled cheeks, hands still beating fruitlessly against the mirror’s reversed pane, he made quite the pitiful sight. At some point the poor lad had even started shouting at him, though all the good it did either of them seeing as sounds still couldn’t pass through it - ill-fated thing that it was. Yet he found himself once again wishing {desperately} that they could, that he could have heard the others voice, if only once. That maybe he could have told him everything he’d wanted to say but hadn’t had the chance before his time ran out… That he too could have heard the horror of those god forsaken bloody sirens.

‘ _ What I wouldn’t give for them to just shut up! _ ’

But, if only he could have told him, if only… Maybe then, they might have stood a chance. Maybe together they could have stopped it.

_ “God, when the bloody hell had fate turned them down a path this bad?” _

Three months ago, he decided.  _ Just three bloody months ago! _

When he’d first acquired that strange twitch.

When he’d first met ‘ _ Him _ ’…

 

~oOo~

 

It was a beautiful day in London, the sky was clear and shone a stunning cerulean blue, the air was warm with just the slightest soft breeze, and as Arthur stood upon his front steps gazing up at the sky he couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“It’s so… nice out today” He mumbled, more to himself than anyone else, and chuckling softly he shook his head. Days like this in his little island home were so few and far between that for a moment he thought the world must have been coming to an end. But he brushed the silliness of that thought aside as he slipped his umbrella under his arm and stepped down onto his little walkway that led to the road. After all, the weather did have a tendency to reflect his moods, and as slight electric jolts of excitement ran up and down his spine and down to his fingertips, he couldn’t help but think how well it suited him for this moment, for what today was. It was the height of spring, the twenty-third of April, and today was his national birthday.

Now, normally such an event as a nation’s birthday wasn’t really a big deal. Living hundreds of centuries often caused such dates to shift with the countries downfalls or triumphs, and thus tended to give one the mind-set that celebrating them was a rather ridiculous use of time that could honestly be spent on much better and far more efficient activities. England had so far been perfectly content to follow this mind set himself for several centuries. But it was by the random chance that he happened to overhear something at the last world conference that had completely changed his outlook of this day.

It just so happened that the other nations seemed to be planning a surprise birthday party for him this year.

He wasn’t really sure where such a gesture had come from, nor could he imagine what he might have done to deserve such a kind act from his fellow nations. So he was certainly sceptical about it in the beginning. But then, as the date drew closer he began to notice how odd everyone was acting in his presence. Nations would stand in huddled groups to whisper amongst each other excitedly, only to break hurriedly apart and pretend to be occupied with some other task whenever he  _ happened  _ to walk in their vicinity. Also, nations that he hardly knew and whom he had barely ever spoken much more than a word or two towards would suddenly wander over and strike up completely random conversations with him. They would casually jump from topic to topic and often sneak questions about him in whenever they could manage, then usually dismiss themselves and be gone just as quickly as they had appeared.

It was all rather odd, and with each incident his suspicions only grew. But he still remained rather dubious to the idea of the others actually throwing him a surprise party of all things. Yet he couldn’t help the growing feelings of hope and excitement that rose within him, even if his mind nagged that such feelings were probably going to be crushed and that this was probably all just some glorious misunderstanding on his part. People could hold secrets amongst themselves and randomly decide to be friendly any day after all, right? Yet the hope stubbornly refused to die, and his excitement simply continued to grow.

Then, this morning after he had had his morning tea and breakfast, and had just settled himself quite comfortably down in his favourite armchair for a good read, his phone decided to go off. Unfortunately for him, his phone was still in his coat pocket which just so happened to be upstairs hanging off the back of a chair in his study. He was actually rather fortunate his house was built to echo things, and that it was a particularly quiet morning, or he would have never heard it. But he was still rather comfortable, and really didn’t feel like bothering to answer the damn thing, except as per usual curiosity got the better of him. Begrudgingly he dragged himself out of the chair and hurried up the stairs to answer it.

Strangely enough, it was Gilbert of all people listed as the caller when he picked it up. He was rather bewildered to say the least, and became even more so when as soon as he answered it, the albino all but demanded he come out of his musty old house and have a drink with him. He was sure he must have spluttered for several minutes while Prussia laughed his arse off at his reaction, thankfully the Prussian quickly interrupted him before he could get himself together and tell him he wasn’t going to any bloody bar at eight thirty  _ in the morning _ . Insisting that really, he needed to come see the little out of the way place he’d discovered and that he wouldn’t take no for an answer! Besides, it was in London and only a short distance away so walking to the place to humour him wouldn’t harm Arthur in the least and he could probably use the exercise.

Begrudgingly, although relatively miffed and pretty sure he already knew the place since it was in his city after all, Arthur finally agreed on the condition that Gil bought him a pint for his troubles. It was only after the Prussian hung up and he had gotten himself mostly dressed did he remember exactly what today was, and just how oddly timed and placed Gilbert’s little pub crawl seemed to be. Realizing that this was probably  _ thee _ set up he had been waiting for, Arthur had quickly finished dressing himself and then hurried out the door, his heart pounding in anticipation.

And now he was finally at the place Gilbert had told him about.

It really was an out of the way place, he’d have actually missed it if not for the fact that he  _ knew _ it was there. It was also an extremely small and rather bland establishment, certainly not eye catching and not one a large number of nations would be able to gather in easily. It was probably bound to be rather crowded in there.

Steeling himself for what was certain to be a rather loud greeting; Arthur reached towards the handle, and suddenly froze. An odd feeling of trepidation had suddenly washed over him. Not from the apprehension of what might be behind the door nor what the others might have planned for him. Not even from anything to  _ do _ with the surprise party as far as he could tell, but rather it was a creeping feeling of something  _ wrong.  _ Something out of place in a disorienting sense, almost as if the world around him had suddenly gone ever so slightly askew. His shoulder blades twitched slightly as the chill of the feeling ran its way down his spine, but then just as suddenly as the feeling had appeared, it was gone and the world had set itself right once more. In fact, it had all happened so fast that it left him blinking in confusion and wondering if anything had really happened at all. But after a moment of standing there feeling rather muddled, he decided to just shrug it off as not really important and squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest, Arthur turned the handle and pulled open the door striding in with confident steps.

Only to stop a few strides in and glance around the bar in befuddlement. The place was nearly empty and as quiet as a ghost town. The only other patrons that he could even spot were a few completely bladdered gits in a far off corner table who looked to be on the verge of passing out any moment, and a certain silver haired albino who was sitting at the bar and nursing a rather large pint, grinning like a complete fool. Said albino glanced up as the door behind Arthur clicked back into place and offered him a wiry grin and enthusiastic wave as he motioned for the Brit to take the stool next to him. Still feeling quite confused Arthur staggered his way over and sat, glancing about stupidly as if expecting the other nations to suddenly appear out of the woodwork.

Gilbert gave him a rather odd look at this, but figuring it was just Arthur being Arthur he simply motioned for the bar keep and elbowed Artie in the side to get his attention. “So! What’ll be your poison?”

Arthur turned towards him sharply, giving him a rather blank stare. “W-what?”

“Your poison! You know, your bier Brows? I promised the tab would be on me and the selections they have here are great! So what do you wanna drink?”

Arthur frowned at him slightly, not quite comprehending the question.  _ ‘Beer? He’s asking me about beer?? But, where’s the party? Where are all the other nations?’  _ “Where is everyone?”

“What? Everyone? Were you expecting someone else to show up? Mien Gott Brows! I just found the place, I don’t want every nation in Europe invading it! They’ll drink up all the alkohol!” To prove his point Gilbert wrapped his arms around his glass protectively and glanced around in paranoia as if the next person to walk by would jump him for it, but again Arthur just stared.

“No… No that’s not what I meant, I didn’t invite anyone.”

“Ah gut! Then there’s no need for me to share!” With a gleeful abandon Gilbert downed a good fourth of the cups contents, then let out a rather loud and satisfied burp, humming to himself happily. Arthur just gave him a disapproving frown, and quirking a silver brow Gilbert tilted his head and frowned right back at him.

“What, you just gonna watch me drink Brows? Or are you gonna order something. If you won’t, then I don’t mind ordering for you! They’ve really got some good stuff here, and we came to drink right? So indulge away!” Waiting for Arthur to respond and getting nothing out of him, the Prussian raised his cup up belting out a loud “Oi bar keep! Get my friend some of-“

“Rum!” England spoke up quickly, deciding he really didn’t feel like drinking the stronger and most likely much more potent drinks Gilbert seemed to enjoy. Gilbert gave him a cocky sideways glance before grinning like a maniac and shouting for the bartender to bring them his best rum. England just continued to stare at him skeptically, trying to wrap his mind around exactly what sort of situation this was. There didn’t seem to be any nations hiding around any of the corners here, and as far as he could tell Gilbert was just being the usual obnoxious person he was whenever they went out to drink, so… did that mean he was wrong about the whole thing?

His chest clenched painfully at that thought, and he was rather grateful that it was right that moment that the bartender decided to pass him his drink as he suddenly very much needed something to hold on to. Could it be that he had been wrong? That it really was all just a huge misunderstanding on his part? He certainly hoped not, for in all honesty he had truly been looking forward to entire thing and despite his determination not to, he had very much gotten his hopes up for this event. But then another thought occurred to him.

_ ‘What if this is just a distraction? A means to get me out of my house while they get things set up? _ ’ It certainly made sense in a way, although it was a rather desperate thought and he knew he was just grasping onto any strings of hope he could find at that moment. But it was a golden and radiant thread and it was rather easy for his desperate mind to follow it.

_ ‘Yes of course! They needed me out of the house and Gil is fantastic at distracting people! Plus the fellow is one of the few people who’s an old drinking buddy of mine and knows all my habits! I bet the old boy knew I’d order rum and probably even plans on keeping me from getting too drunk to attend the party later, brilliant!’  _ Now grinning himself, England tilted back his mug and downed his pint, earning an enthusiastic slap on the back from the Prussian that almost made him choke. But he just took a few gulps of air and beamed giddily at him, which earned him a toothy grin in return and once the bartender had refilled their glasses they gave each other a hearty toast and gulped them down once more.

It soon turned into a game, which then turned into a competition which in turn quickly escalated into a two man brawl. The cups were stacked high and the tankard had been drained to almost empty by the time the bartender managed to kick them both to the curb, and by that point they were both far too pissed off their rockers to give two shits. Time seemed to have flown them by and the street lamps were already ablaze as they stumbled their way singing down the main thoroughfare. But for the life of him England couldn’t recall where on earth he’d parked his bloody house! Luckily for them both Gilbert had rented himself a room in a nearby hotel and after tripping about up and down a few streets they were able to find the right building and headed up to his room without to much difficulty. Arthur was completely exhausted and almost immediately he collapsed on the nearest flat surface and passed right out. Gilbert had a bit more sense in him and dropping their collective wallets and phones onto the little table next to the bed he managed to strip himself down to his boxers. But he couldn’t really remember where he’d put his sleeping clothes and after a few minutes of fruitlessly searching about the room he just gave up and flopped himself onto the bed next to Arthur. Flinging some covers over the Brit so he wouldn’t freeze, he promptly curled himself around a pillow and fell straight sleep, his contented snoring filling the room.

 

It was well into the afternoon before Arthur woke back up, and as soon as he did, he wished very much that he had stayed asleep. His head felt like it was trying to rip itself in two and he suspected if he tried to move he would most certainly hurl. Luckily for him he had somehow worked himself into a rather comfortable position and was pressed against something that was compellingly warm, so he didn’t feel all that inclined  _ to _ move. It would have actually been quite the pleasant way to wake up if not for the splitting hangover he was dealing with and the heavy fog that seemed to have settled itself over his brain making all his thoughts rather murky and slow. But then quite suddenly his wonderful warmth moved and something draped itself over his back and pulled him closer and he realized with mounting horror that this was not a warm ‘something’ it was a warm ‘someone’ and that meant that someone was in his bed with him!

Jumping up and scrabbling back, he found the dimensions of his bed had seemingly changed as well, because it was suddenly a whole lot shorter then he remembered and then the floor was jumping up to meet his face and his head felt as if it was going to crack like an egg that had already been scrambled and really this was all just far too much for one morning!

Gilbert let out a annoyed grunt as the warm body he had snuggled into was suddenly and rather forcibly ripped from his arms, but at the quiet yelp and subsequent pitiful groaning that followed, he managed to rouse himself and peered inquiringly over the edge of the mattress to see what the hölle fick was going on. The sight that greeted him was almost too hilarious to believe.

Somehow, England had gotten himself tangled up in the sheets to the point where they were almost tied into a knot around him and his limbs were splayed out all at odd angles while his arse was sticking up mid-air and wiggling slightly as he struggled to get himself loose. Gilbert seriously had the urge to reach out and smack it, and he almost did just that but decided against it because really Arthur was making the most pitiful noises and he had quite a bit to drink last night if the Prussian remembered correctly, so he ought to cut the limey a break.

Reaching out and tapping softly on the Brits back, he grinned slyly down as Arthur flinched and managed to turn his head just enough to see who was accosting him. “Hey brows~ What’re you doing down on the floor? You should come back to bed, the sheets are getting cold.” The look Arthur shoot him though immediately shut him up and he backed away from the edge a few inches just to make sure the Brit couldn’t actually reach him.  _ ‘Scheiße! If looks could kill I think I might just have been fried to a smouldering crisp…’ _

Arthur glared another moment, then slowly lowered his head back down to the carpet and groaned. “Pain killers… now…”

“J-ja! Got it!” The Prussian scrambled off of the other side of the bed and rushed over to his luggage, franticly digging about in search of the little bottle of aspirin he’d bought for just such an occasion.

_ “Hurry…” _

“Ja ja, halten sie ihre pferde… Ah-ha! Found them!” Snatching up the pill bottle and a bottle of water he quickly moved to Arthur’s side and helped him untangle himself, slowly sitting him up and handing him a couple of the pills and the uncapped water. Once Arthur had taken them and downed a good half of the bottle, at Gilbert’s insistence, the Prussian gently helped him up and set him back comfortably on the bed. “Feeling better now?”

Arthur just groaned, giving a soft “Mmhmm” before leaning forward to rest his head on the Prussians chest. “M’head still hurts… where am I? What the hell’d we do last night?”

Gilbert snickered, the low hissing of his laugh blowing soft puffs of air on top of the Brits head. The limey was so cute when hung over! Who knew? Shifting England slightly so that he could sit on the bed too but still allow the Brit lean on him he shrugged slightly in response. “Oh you know, the usual. Went out, got drunk off our asses, had a wild party… pretty much same old same old.”

Arthur blinked slowly as his memory began to return, than glanced up at Gilbert in shock. “Party? We…we went to the party? But I… I don’t remember any of that!”

“Whoa, what? No! No no, Nein! We didn’t actually go to any party Brows, although we kinda made our own cause it’s always an awesome party when we hang out! Am I right?” Gilbert grinned at his dumb joke, but Arthur didn’t seem to find it so funny. Suddenly pushing away from him Arthur’s face paled as his eyes widened and he almost looked betrayed when he glanced back up at Gil.

“You mean… there was no party? You weren’t sent to distract me while everyone set up?”

Gil stared down at him, his confusion written clearly across his face. “What are you talking about Brows? Were we invited to some party I wasn’t told about? Because, I know I can be the greatest most awesome distraction in the world and all, but as far as I know no one hired me to do so, not in your case anyway… Hey Brows? Brows?? Hey! Are you okay?!”

Arthur had gone from pale to downright ashen and looked as if any moment he was going to be seriously sick. Gilbert panicked around him for a few moments, but getting no immediate response he quickly jumped up. “H-hang on! Try not to puke limey! I’ll get you the trashcan, and some stomach pills!” Rushing into the bathroom he immediately snatched up the trash can and practically shoved the thing into the Brits hands as he jumped over the bed and started burrowing frantically through his bag for some more medicine.

Arthur meanwhile was completely mortified. Gilbert  _ hadn’t  _ been sent to fetch him. He didn’t even know of such a party existing, if it ever had at all.  _ ‘But then again,’ _ his mind mocked,  _ ‘of course he wouldn’t have known. He doesn’t go to any of the World meetings remember?’  _ The fact that such a thing hadn’t even occurred to him until now just proved how desperate and foolish he was. There never really was a surprise party, was there? Oh but perhaps… “My ph-phone?”

Gilbert glanced up from his desperate search momentarily, eyeing the Brit with concern. “What was that now?”

“Phone… did…” He swallowed rather thickly, almost afraid to ask since he was pretty sure he already knew the answer, “Did my phone go off recently?”

Gilbert narrowed his stare slightly, not at all liking the haunted look in the Brit's eyes. “Nien, it didn’t… not while we were out at least. Hasn’t buzzed any time recently either that I know of, but it should be right there on the side table if you want to check it.”

Almost instantly the brit's hand shot out to snatch the phone up and he clicked it on to check the messages staring at it with dwindling hope as he punched in his unlocking key. His rather blank background of the union jack seemed to stare mockingly right back at him. In that moment he felt his heart hit the bottom of his stomach like a dropped stone. So it was true after all then. There really was no party. No one had planned anything for him and all those secretive whispers and odd reactions really had nothing to do with him either. He wasn’t special, no one cared, and yesterday was just one more day out of the endless number that lie before him. He felt the phone slip from his grip and was vaguely aware of Gilbert moving to his side and trying to say something to him, but his mind refused to process any of it. It had gone numb, everything had gone numb, and as if an empty void had opened up within him he felt his emotions twist upon themselves, and twirl away to nothing. He was an idiot. He was such an idiot. How could he have ever let himself believe otherwise?

Dimly he remembered pushing an overly concerned Gilbert to the side as he'd gathered up his things and made his way out the door, and he also mildly recalled the Prussian following him nearly nude down the hall and stairwell to the front lobby before he had been stopped by security. But the actual walk he took to reach his front door, which he was now standing in front of, had been a complete blur. He really didn't care though how it was he'd gotten home, as really all he wanted to do now was curl up miserably and sleep for a good fortnight, But as he started digging through his pockets for his house key, something reflective caught the mornings grey light just enough to catch his attention, and irritably he glanced over towards the source and-

Well… that certainly wasn’t supposed to be there.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this was meant to end in a cliff hanger... I am so sorry.  
> I'll be slowly uploading the rest of my fanfictions as time moves on, so I have no idea when this one will update again. But be assured I wouldn't put up something I don't intend to complete. 
> 
> And hey, I might be a bit of a shy thing, but comments and kind words (and even some critiquing) can go a long long way and might even help to motivate me. So please leave a kudos if you like it, and let me know what you think if you have the time to spare. Love you all ^w^


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